Valve and swivel coupling for refrigeration systems



Aug. 3, 1965 s. H. MORSE 3,198,480

VALVE AND SWIVEL COUPLING FOR REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS Original Filed Aug. 5, 1959 S INVENTOR. E1 67:41am 9. M046:

M MLF-M Arr-always llnited States iPatent-Ofice ddddfldd Patented Aug. 3, 1965 rears s cranes. or. 251-148) This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 832,883, filed August 5, 1959, now abandoned which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my coending application Serial No. 648,305, filed March 25, 1957, now abandoned.

This invention relates to refrigeration systems and particularly to the mounting of shut-off valves on refrigeration units.

In refrigeration systems, it is customary to provide shut-off valves at the inlet or suction side and the outlet or pressure side of the component units such as the compressor unit which may be closed when it is desired to isolate the unit for purposes of repair or replacement. These valves may also be used to facilitate charging the unit with refrigerant and sealing the unit at the factory for shipment to the customer.

A conventional type construction comprises the use of a shut-off valve having a body which has a length several times its lateral dimensions. The body includes a chamber, a first passageway extending axially of the body and providing communication between the chamber and the end of the body and a second passageway formed by a projection extending laterally of the body and providing communication between the chamber and the exterior of the body. A valve member is movable axially of the body in the chamber to open and close the valve by control of the communication between the passageways.

In use, the second passageway is connected to a first refrigeration unit. A conduit or tube is connected to the first passageway and leads to another unit of the refrigeration system. The means for connecting the second passageway to a refrigeration unit comprises a pad of substantial thickness fixed on the projection and having a flat surface which is adapted to contact a complementary flat surface on the refrigeration unit. A gasket may be interposed between the surfaces and the pad is drawn toward the refrigeration unit by bolts passing through the pad and threaded into the refrigeration unit.

A major disadvantage of such a construction is that When the shut-off valve is mounted on the refrigeration unit the direction or angle in which the tube connected to the first passageway extends away from the refrigeration unit is fixed and cannot be adjusted. This raises particular problems when limitations in space surrounding the refrigeration unit or the position of the other refrigeration unit to which the tube extends require that the tube extend in a different direction. To overcome this disadvantage, shut-off valves have been manufactured wherein the pad is in different angular positions relative to the valve body. This necessitates keeping a large number of valves of dificrent types in stock. In addition, a

manufacturer of a refrigeration unit may install a particv ular valve which may provide for the tubing from the first passageway to extend in the proper direction for space requirements in the refrigeration unit, nevertheless when the consumer receives the unit he may find that the tubing should extend in another direction in order to make the proper connection to an adjacent refrigeration unit. This necessitates removing one valve and replacing it with another having a pad forming a diil'erent angle with the valve body. Such a replacement results in the loss of the refrigerant charge which may have been placed in the refrigeration unit at the factory and necessitates the purging of air from the refrigeration unit. These additional steps are obviously costly and time consuming.

A further disadvantage of using the conventional pad type shut-ol valve is that in order to provide a tight seal between the sealing surface on the pad and the complementary surface of the refrigeration unit, a large force is required and it is necessary to have a very thick heavy pad.

it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a refrigeration system wherein the shut-off valve may be positioned in a plurality of angular relationships relative to the refrigeration unit.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide such a system wherein there is an improved sealing connection between the valve and the refrigeration unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a refrigeration system which utilizes a high unit pressure sealing ring or rib between the shut-off valve and the refrigeration u it so that a seal is provided along a thin annular area as distinguished from a large flat surface area thereby permitting the use of a relatively thin pad or valve contacting surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a refrigeration system which has novel sealing means between the shut-0d valve and the refrigeration unit, which means can be loosened to permit angular adjustment between the valve and the refrigeration unit without loss of refrigerant.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a refrigeration system wherein novel sealing means is provided between the shut-off valve and the refrigeration unit, the sealing means being such that when it is loosened an efiective seal is maintained which prevents leakage of refrigerant and at the same time permits relative angular adjustment between the shutoff valve and the refrigeration unit so that the angular position of the valve relative to the unit may be adjusted without loss of refrigerant.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a refrigeration system which has novel sealing means including a high pressure rib and a plastic ring between the shut-0d valve and the refrigeration unit, the sealing means being particularly adapted to provide a finger tight seal and such that when loosened an effective seal is maintained between the valve and the refrigeration unit which prevents leakage of refrigerant and at the same time permits relative an ular adjustment between a valve and a refrigeration unit, said seal being such that it maintains the relative angular position of the valve and the refrigeration unit du ing the final locking of the valve to the refrigeration unit.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view ofa valve assembly applied to the refrigeration unit and embodying the invention. 7

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of PEG. 1, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1. 7

Referring to FIGS. 1,2 and 3, the refrigeration system includes a shut-off valve it mounted on a refrigeration unit 11 such as a compressor in order to provide a means for opening and closing andthereby controlling communication with an opening 12 which may be an inlet or outlet in unit'll.

As shown in FIG. 3, valve Ill comprises a body 13 which has a lengt h several times its lateral or cross sec tional dimensions. Body .13 includes a longitudinally extending chamber 14 which communicates with a passageway 15 extending longitudinally of valve body 13 and providing communication to the exterior of the valve body. A second passageway 16 formed by a projection r.) 17 extends laterally from the end of chamber 14 to the exterior of the valve body. The walls of chamber are formed with shoulders 13, 19 which provide sealing surfaces for a valve member 29 threaded in the other end of valve body 13 and rotatable relative thereto, thereby moving longitudinally of said valve body.

The end of the valve member 2% adjacent sealing surface 18 is provided with an inverted frusto-couical sealing surface 21 which is adapted to engage shoulder 13 and a frust'o-conical sealiig surface 22 longitudinally spaced from surface 21 which is adapted to contact shoulder 719. To prevent the escape of refrigerant through the threaded connection of valve member 29 to valve body 13, a copper washer 23 is provided in a depression 24 in the end of valve body 13 and pac g material 25 is positioned over the washer A nut 26 preferably of copper surrounds the upper end of valve member 253 and is threaded into the cavity.

The end of valve member which extends to the exterior of valve body 13 is provided with a non-circular shape to facilitate its being grasped by pliers or other suitable tools so that the valve member 2% may be easily rotated. A cap 27 is threaded onto the exterior of the upper end of valve body 13 to protect the upper end of valve member 23 To further insure a seal, a metal Washer 280, preferably of copper, is pressed in cap 27 adjacent the upper end of the valve body 13 and abutting a shoulder 28 on the cap. A tubular fitment is provided at one side of valve body 33 and communicates with cavity 14 to provide a means for checxing the pressure in cavity 14 by placement of a pressure gage on the fitment. The fitment also provides a means for purging the system as may be required during the maintenance thereof. A cap 34) is threaded on the exterior of the fitment to seal the end of the fitment.

Referring to FIG. 2, projection 17 is formed with an annular flange 31 on its outermost end. A diamond shaped pad 32 is rotatably mounted on projection 1'7 and has limited movement axially relative to projection 17. Pad 32 is formed with an annular groove '53 which engages the shoulder formed by flange 23 to thereby limit its axially outward movement on projection l7. Projection 17 is formed with an annular sealing surface 34 on the end thereof lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of projection 17.

Sealing surface 34 includes an annular rib 35 providing a sealing surface immediately adjacent but spaced from the opening 16. Surface 36 of pad 32 lies in a plane which is spaced axially inwardly relative to the plane of annular rib 35 when pad 32 is in abutting relationship with shoulder 31. A gasket 37 of suitable material such as neoprene rubber is interposed between surface as and annular sealing surface 34- on the one hand and surface 33 of the refrigeration unit on the other. Bolt pass through openings 4:) in pad 32 and are threaded into unit 11 to draw sealing surface 35 toward surface 33 of the refrigeration unit. The portion of surface 34-, other than rib 35, and surface 36 provid secondary sealing areas with surface 38. Pad 32 is generally diamond shaped, as shown in FIG. 1, and the'openingsd-tl are provided in diametrically opposed corners thereof.

When it is desired to mount valve it} on refrigeration unit 11, the angular position of valve body ill relative to refrigeration unit 11 may be at any desired relation as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. When bol s 39 are threaded into refrigeration unit 11, annular sealing surface 35 of valve 1b is drawn toward the refrigeration unit 11. Since the plane of this sealing surface extends axially outwardly relative to valve body 13 a greater distance than the plane of surface on pad 3, when the bolts 39 are tightened a high unit pressure force is insured between the annular rib 35 and surface 38, thereby insuring a positive gas-tight seal. At the same time a sealing pressure of lesser magnitude is provided between surfaces 34. and 36 of pa 32 and surface 38 of refrigeration unit 11. The high unit sealing pressure produced by the rib 35 in an area immediately surrounding the opening 16 permits the pad 32 to be made with a substanially lesser thickness than has been heretofore possible.

If it is desired to change the angular position of a valve 53 on a refrigeration un't 11 which has been charged with refrigerant, t 5 may be done without loss of refrigerant by looser 13 the bolts sufficiently to permit anguiar adjustment of the valve relative to the refrigeration unit, but insufiiciently to permit loss of refrigerant. in the construction used, a substantially lesser torque on bolts 39 tl an is required to lock the valve in a selected position satisfactorily seals against loss of refrigerant and at the same time permits angular adjustment of the valve relative to the refrigeration unit.

It can thus be seen that one of the most important tures of the ention is that a gas tight connection can be maintained by finger tight pressure of the sealing surfaces, because of the high unit pressure seal, to permit the adjustment of the valve relative to the refr eration unit to any angle desired at the time of installation.

It will also be seen that l have provided a refrigeration system wherein the shut-off valve can be adjusted angularly relative to the refrigeration unit as is required by space limitations or other considerations such as the direction in which the tubing is to be provided. T his obviates the need for maintaining an inventory of a large number of different valves. In addition, an improved seal is provided to insure a gas tight connection, thereby preventing the loss of refrigerant. The seal prevents the escape of refrigerant and at the same time permits angular movement of the valve body relative to the refrigeration unit during assembly.

1 claim:

'3. For use on a refrigeration unit having an opening extending laterally thereof and an annular substantially fiat sealing surface lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis of the opening, a valve comprising a valve body having a length several times its width, a chamber in said body, a first passageway extending axially of said body from said chamber to the exterior, a projection extending transversely of said body, a second passageway extending through said projection and providing communication between said chamber and the exterior or" said body, said projection having a first annular sealing surface generally perpendicular to the axis of the second passageway which extends through said projection, an annular rib you said projection, having a second annular sealing surface spaced radially outwardly and axially outwardly from said first annular sealing surface, a pad member rotatably mounted on said projection and movable axially thereon, means for limiting the outward movement of said pad member on said projection, said pad member having a flat sealing surface surrounding said projection and lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the passageway through said projection, said fiat surface of said pad member being spaced from the second annular sealing surface on said projection axially inwardly toward said body when said pad member is in its axially outermost position relative to the body, said oad memher having opposed bolt openings therin ada ted to receive bolts for drawing and holding said valve against said refrigeration unit.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotatable pad member is diamond shaped.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for limiting the outward movement of said pad member comprises an annular groove in said pad member and an annular shoulder on said projection.

fea-

294,160 2/84 Sweeneg 2854l2 we wa UNITED STATES PATENTS Dart 2'85368 Reynolds 285368 Mueller 251-330 Litle 62--299 Tomlinson 2513 10 X Loranger 62299 'Ullstrand 137-614 X 6 2,543,311 2/51 Augspurger 235101 2,726,104 12/55 Boitnott 28598 2,797,552 7/57 Lacart 62298 FOREIGN PATENTS 921,841 12/54 Germany. 5 18,930 3/40 Great Britain.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner, 

1. FOR USE ON A REFRIGERATION UNIT HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREOF AND AN ANNULAR SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SEALING SURFACE LYING IN A PLANE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE OPENING, A VALVE COMPRISING A VALVE BODY HAVING A LENGTH SEVERAL TIMES ITS WIDTH, A CHAMBER IN SAID BODY, A FIRAT PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING AXIALLY OF SAID BODY FROM SAID CHAMBER TO THE EXTERIOR, A PROJECTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID BODY, A SECOND PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PROJECTION AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CHAMBER AND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BODY, SAID PROJECTION HAVING A FIRST ANNUALAR SEALING SURFACE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE SECOND PASSAGEWAY WHICH EXTENDS THROUGH SAID PROJECTION, AN ANNULAR RIB ON SAID PROJECTION, HAVING A SECOND ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE SPACED RADIALLY OURWARDLY AND AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE, A PAD MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PROJECTION AND MOVABLE AXIALLY THEREON, MEANS FOR LIMITING THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PAD MEMBER ON SAID PROJECTION, SAID PAD MEMBER HAVING A FLAT SEALING SURFACE SURROUNDING SAID PROJECT AND LYING IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS PROJDCTION AND LYING IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS FACE OF SAID PAD MEMBER BEING SPACED FROM THE SECOND ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE ON SAID PROJECTION AXIALLY INWARDLY TOWARD SAID BODY WHEN SAID PAD MEMBER IS IN ITS AXIALLOY OUTMOST POSITION RELATIVE TO THE BODY, SAID PAD MEMBER HAVING OPPOSED BOLT OPENING THEREIN ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BOLTS FOR DRAWING AND HOLDING VALVE AGAINST SAID REFRIGERATION UNIT. 